#there it is folks! hope it's snazzy

[averagewriter-inthedark]

Time of Our Lives | Dancer!Jake Seresin x dancer!reader | Dirty Dancing AU

TGM masterlist

Characters & pairings: dancer!Jake Seresin x dancer!reader (romantic)

Content warnings: fluff, light profanity, pop culture references | Female!reader (she/her) | WC: 8.8k

Requested 📨 yes/no (for @eternalsams 🩶🥹)

Premise: what happens when two childhood best friends from well off families reunite at a country club leading into a summer that would impact their careers for eternity while dancing around a decades worth of brewing feelings and recreating an iconic dance for the country clubs annual showcase? Here’s a hit, it’s gonna be like that one song Baby and Johnny fell in love to.

Note: I am alive and just know I (quite literally) had the time of my life writing this piece. It brought me back to my 80s movies/dirty dancing hyperfixation 😭 @eternalsams thank you so much for your patience and requesting this gem. I hope I did you Justice and dancer Jake has my heart and soul. Thank you for trusting me with your vision 🩶

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“You could at least act like you’re having fun, Y/n,” came the scolding words of her mother when she noticed the unamused expression Y/n possessed.

A natural state she would describe since they arrived at the resort. And what Y/n could not depart from no matter how hard she tried.

Summertime. The best time of year for some folks who are eager to get away from the stress and drama of work and school to relax and have fun. Whether it be a week or two whole months. For high school dance teacher Y/n L/n, her ideal summer vacation would be in the comfort of her own home with a book or chilling at her favorite resultant sipping on Margaritas while enjoying live music. Going out with her small select group of friends to dance was also on her list of summer necessities…but her family had other plans.

To kick off her 2023 summer break—which is to last nearly three weeks if she manages to survive—Y/n and her family were at an upscale Catskills resort located in the Appalachian Mountains not too far from New York, the place she currently called home. A snazzy estate one may add, for it was filled with alumni from the top Ivy League schools in the country.

And Y/n’s personal hell.

Of course she loved spending time with her parents and siblings….to an extent. But, when they’re constantly berating her life choices by becoming a dance instructor—on top of displeased opinions of her love life—-Y/n felt suffocated by them.

It was like she could never live up to the expectation they had of her no matter how much she proved herself and her talent. Not only were her parents highly respected doctors in their community, but her sister graduated Summa Cum Laude at Yale Law School, marrying her college sweetheart before taking a job at one of the city’s top firms. Then there was her brother. He went on to become a naval fighter pilot, distinguished and respected with his place at number one in his class during his year at Top Gun. His wife was a trauma nurse who worked at the same hospital as her parents.

Yet here she was—mind you, a former member of the New York City Ballet Company, Juilliard Alumni, performed at the Super Bowl, toured with Rihanna in the mid early 2010s, appeared in several music videos, and teaches at the Frank Sinatra School of the Arts—unable to adhere to their standards.

Parents…they want what’s best for their children. Right?

Yeah she found that hard to believe.

If only they saw her in the Ballroom. And no, not talking about the kind you see on Dancing With The Stars. She’s talking about the Ballroom that calls New York its home.

But also ballroom dancing. Her sister would have a heart attack if she discovered Y/n danced Bachata with Prince Royce at a New York latin club.

“Fun?” Y/n scoffed, sipping at her glass of champagne resulting in a light cringe at the taste. For rich people one would think they’d have the best there was. What just hit her tastebuds was something out of a box container imposing as fancy liquor. “I don’t see how anyone could find this type of rendezvous fun, mother.” She received a scolding glare.

“Keep your voice down,” the older woman kept looking around to see if anyone heard, “these are our friends.”

“Your friends,” Y/n corrected. There was no way in hell she’d consider any of the fake people in front of her friends. No matter how long their families have been acquainted. None of them liked each other, and were always trying to one up whenever someone voiced an accomplishment.

Instead of answering, Y/n’s mother simply walked away with an annoyed huff. No longer in the mood to argue. Rolling her eyes, Y/n downed the last of her champagne before making way out the french doors of the lounge and into one of the many patios. The sunshine greeted her with its vibrant and warm rays. Chatter from the guests sitting under umbrellas and beside the pool filled her ears. Y/n placed her sunglasses and booked it across until she was on the pathway leading to the guesthouse she and her family were staying.

“Y/n!” Had it been anyone else the woman would’ve mentally signed, but the voice behind the greeting was none other than her childhood best friend growing up, Natasha. A genuine smile appeared on her face as she turned around.

“Hey, Nat!” the two embraced in a hug, “Been a while, huh?” In truth the two hadn’t seen each other face to face since 2019 when Natasha moved to California to base her talent agency. Despite this, Natasha still traveled every year to Caskilles around this time to see her family, whereas Y/n remained in New York due to shows and gigs.

“More like four years,” a playful nudge was sent her way, “girl you left me here to fend for myself. I should feel betrayed,” Nat smirked, “but I can’t blame you. The only reason I keep coming to this place is to please my mom. It’s the only time all of us siblings are under the same roof.”

Natasha was the oldest of four and the only daughter to three sons. Her father had been the Mayor of New York City while her mother was the former District Attorney. All of her brothers had achieved prospective careers. Antonio, the second oldest, had been drafted by the MLB and currently played for the Washington Nationals. Dominic, the middle brother, was a nuclear engineer who rarely ever got time off but always managed to get a week in the summer. Lastly the youngest of the bunch, Victor, was a professional photographer who went on tour with artists like Journey, Lionel Richie, Daddy Yankee, and Stevie Nicks.

For Natasha, she had fallen in love with the fashion industry at a young age. After graduating from the Fashion Institute of Technology Natasha received an intern position at Vogue Magazine before becoming a product and brand marketing manager at Louis Vuitton, for which she got the opportunity to live in Paris, France for four years. There she got to work closely with Virgil Abloh, who unfortunately passed away in 2021, and Nicolas Ghesquiere.

As of 2022 Nat relocated to San Francisco and developed her own talent agency for aspiring models and fashion photographers who come from low-income backgrounds, LGBTQIA+, people of color and disabilities. With its success Nat’s had several clients on the face of Vogue and walking runways at every fashion week.

“I’m sorry,” Y/n said, the two beginning to walk down the path together, “Life’s been hectic. During the pandemic there were little to no gigs so I had no idea what to do.” Unfortunately being in the dance industry meant competitive opportunities with a maybe 10% success rate if lucky. Y/n’s last big break was dancing with Lady Gaga and Ariana Grande in their ‘Rain on Me’ music video. Y/n occasionally attended the Balls in New York, but hadn’t walked a category in ages.

She did have a following on social media, which bought in a reasonable amount of income. Over 100k on YoutTube and roughly 2 half a million on TikTok. Instagram had close to 3 million since it had been the primary platform in the 2010s and several of her dance videos went viral.

“I understand,” Nat nodded solemnly, “It was like that for me too. It’s nice the world is slowly going back to normal. Although,” she paused to chuckle, “the amount of damage control getting bookings back to their normal pace was probably the most stressful point in my career.”

“Has it been easier now?” They stopped at a little bench overlooking the lake, “I saw you were at fashion week.”

Nat instantly brightened. “Much better than before I will say. We’ve got a great wave of new clientele—I just landed this fella a cover with GQ so I’m pleased with that.” Y/n congratulated her before the agent changed the subject, “But enough about me, what about you?”

The woman scoffed, “Well my last big thing was the Lady Gaga music video—and that was going on three years now,” the thought made her frown. It wasn’t like her to go so long without a gig. “I auditioned for a spot on Beyoncé’s tour.”

“The Renaissance tour,” Nat nearly gagged. It was all anyone could talk about since tickets went on sale earlier that year. Nat managed to snag two for her and her boyfriend for the Los Angeles show. “And?”

“I’ll know in about a month or so if I book it.”

“You so got it,” Nat assured with a tap on her shoulder, “You’re one of the best dancers in the world. You danced with Madonna at the Super Bowl,” her gaze became pointed, “and toured with Rihanna. You have nothing to worry about.”

“Don’t get ahead of yourself, Nat,” Y/n laughed, though deep down she felt the hope in her rise.

Rolling her eyes, Natasha leaned back against the bench and was about to comment when someone in the distance caught her eye. “Is that who I think it is?”

Peeking over her shoulder, Y/n suddenly straightened her posture upon seeing the blonde man grinning from ear to ear as they made eye contact. Jake Seresin certainly landed on the right side of the puberty coin. With his tan, muscular frame, gorgeous green eyes, blonde hair and smile that belonged on the cover of a magazine, he was a sight for sore eyes.

“Ladies, fancy seeing you two here on this beautiful afternoon.”

A wave of butterflies simmered in Y/n’s tummy, a shy smile forming as he approached the bench. It’d been several years since the two saw each other despite being friends since childhood. “Jake,” she greeted, moving to accept his hug when he opened his arms. Natasha followed before the two sat back down, “It’s good to see you. Is your mom with you?”

Like Natasha and her family, Jake’s were part of the same circuit in terms of highly respected, sometimes influential people. His mother, a doctor, was a colleague of Y/n’s parents, and his late father was one of Texas’ Congressmen during the 2000-2010s. Jake’s only sibling, his sister Krista, was a young adult novelist with over ten publications.

Jake on the other hand was like Y/n: a professional dancer and known in the industry as a real life Ken Doll. He had a massive following online, choreographed music videos and tours—even went on tour with Bruno Mars, Justin Bieber, & Ariana Grande—and was a guest judge on ‘So You Think You Can Dance,”. During the pandemic a lot of his dance sequences went viral and became trends, Y/n even posted on to which he reposted with the caption, “you know I had to shine the spotlight on my favorite dance partner. Miss you Y/n/n.”

You can bet Y/n experienced internal fireworks.

There was no denying she had a crush on Jake growing up. The two were inseparable whenever their families stayed at the resort. They’d even make trips out to each other during winter break, eventually attended Juilliard at the same time, and collaborated early in their careers. Jake and Y/n used to sneak out of the country club when they were younger to dance on the dock while blasting music from the boom box they’d stolen from the lounge. They learned ballroom together, competing in competition without Y/n’s family having knowledge of it.

Unlike Y/n’s parents, Jake’s mom and dad approved of his career choice. Though skeptical in the beginning, they grew to be very supportive and attended his showcases at school, the concert he was performing in and kept up with what he was doing.

Because of their disapproval of her pursuing dance, Y/n believes their learning of Jake’s endeavors resulted in them no longer coming to the country club if he and his family were there. They also never asked about him or worked with his mother despite being in the same field. It’s like they blamed Jake for Y/n not becoming what they wanted her to be: a doctor or a lawyer.

“She and my sis are settling in,” he gestured down the path he came, where several cabins were located. “We just got in about an hour ago.”

“How long are you guys here for?” The question came from Nat, who threw a look at Y/n.

Jake didn’t notice, “a couple weeks. Needed a break from the world—and Mr. Collins asked me to help him with this showcase he’s putting together.” Y/n raised her brow.

“Showcase?”

“It’s more for the youngins,” Jake explained. “He asked if I could help teach some dance lessons for those interested.” Though it physically hurt not to react, Y/n somehow managed to remain neutral. Even putting a semi-fake smile.

How come Mr. Collins didn’t ask her?

“Stop it,” the voice in her head said, “it’s not a competition and you know Jake would never be upset if the roles were reversed.”

“Wow, Jake, that's great!” She was happy for him. And scolded herself mentally for the childish thought she had. Jake was an exceptional dancer and a great teacher. Y/n had watched some of his YouTube videos in passing and had no doubt he could get the job done.

“Say if you have the time I’d be happy to have you join in,” he flashes a smile that would have any girl weak in the knees. “I’d say you’re more of an expert in certain areas that I’m not really well acquainted with.” Warmth fills her chest.

“I’d love to. Thank you, Jake.”

The second he departed Natasha was on Y/n. “Girl, if you do not hop on that—.”

“Natasha!”

“What?” She whispers shouts after being hushed, “you’re into him, he’s so into you,” Y/n’s expression is that of, ‘You’re delusional’. “Skip the previews and start the movie.” Now that was a metaphor Y/n had not heard before, but clever nonetheless.

“Jake and I have been friends for years,” Y/n brushed her off. “I am not going to risk ruining what we have because of some middle school crush.” The brunette rolls her eyes.

“But it’s not, ‘some middle school crush.’ You’ve had feelings for him for over decades now—which is a conversation for another day,” Y/n makes a sound of offense, but does not deny the woman. “It’s time to put on your big girl panties and get your man.”

She’s quiet for a moment, glancing to her feet, “What if it’s not meant to be. My family would never approve—.”

“Like you’ve let them dictate what you do in life.”

“My point is—,” Y/n cuts back, “I’ve already disappointed them with my career path. Call me naive or delusional, but I don’t want to have to deal with constantly being berated for my choice of partner. Jake is wonderful in every aspect, but what he does will just set my parents off again for another twenty years if by some miracle we start something up.”

Natasha sighs, placing a comforting hand on her friend’s shoulder, “Sometimes you have to accept that parents are always going to have their opinions that are unchangeable. And you have to let go of the hope they’ll come around. Y/n, you’ve dealt with this since you were seventeen, maybe it’s time to distance yourself from it.”

“And if it all backfires and I end up alone?”

“You’ll never be alone,” she nudges her, “I’m here. And even if it all blows to hell, then at least you can say you tried.”

The next day Y/n found Jake at the little studio room the club used to teach waltz lessons. She was met with his gorgeous smile and an army of preteens in the middle of showing off who could do the best tik tok dance. “I see I’ve interrupted a very important matter.”

“None wanted to do the one I created,” he dramatically pouts, “saying it was too complicated.”

She laughed, “Well they’re not wrong.”

“Hey!”

For the next week, Y/n and Jake spent four hours a day--two in the morning and two in the afternoon--with the kids teaching them different styles of dance. Of course the crowd favored breakdancing, hip hop, modern, and vogue, but would request to watch Jake and Y/n perform routines they used to do back in the day. Swing was a popular one, as was quickstep and jive because of its upbeat and face paced. One day Jake busted out his tap dancing skills while Y/n displayed some ballet.

“How can a person do that?” a kid commented as she stood on revelé. Jake leaned down, whispering, “she’s secretly an alien from another planet.”

“C’mon I wanna show you something,” Jake grabs her hand one night after dinner. He leads her to a cabin not too far from the main resort where members of the staff have started a party. On the speakers were some 2000s hits that summed up the millennial crowd. Jake waved to some of the guys who ran group activities in the corner, Y/n spotted the culinary department at the food table. And if she were to glance at the door on the opposite end of the cabin, she’d see the housekeeping passing around an object containing a certain plant.

“What’s this?”

“The only place where the workers get to catch a break after spending all day with those uptight rich folks. They call it ‘Dirty Dancing’,” Y/n’s expression becomes amused, letting out a soft laugh.

“Like the 80s movie with Patrick Swayze?” Jake beams.

“The one and only,” taking her hand once more, he leads her to the makeshift dance floor. “Let’s show them how it’s done.”

To say the two became the life of the party was an understatement. Jake spun Y/n to the sound of her laughter and Elvis ‘Jailhouse Rock’. Jumping up and down with a crowd around them to Pitbull’s “Give Me Everything.”

“Tonight, I want all of you tonight,” They pointed to each other, “Give me everything tonight.” Y/n pointed to the girl beside her, “For all we know we might not get tomorrow. Let’s do it tonight.” Jake fist pumped with some guys around him, “Don’t care what they say, or what games they play. Nothing is enough, ‘til they handle love.” people in the back shouted “let’s do it tonight.”

“I want you tonight, I want you to stay,” Jake gave Y/n a look, “I want you tonight,” she squealed upon him pulling her toward him, “Grab somebody sexy tell ‘em hey.” the entire house exploded into the chorus. Everyone having the time of their lives, it felt like a scene from a movie.

Y/n pulled girls into the middle during Beyonce’s ‘Single Ladies.’ Then they carried the party when ‘Year 3000’ by the Jonas Brothers came on. “He said, ‘I've been to the year 3000. Not much has changed, but they lived underwater. And your great-great-great-granddaughter is doing fine!”

Some staff who happened to be part of the New York Ballscene recognized Y/n, leading to a vogue battle to commence. “This is what I wanna see!”

Let’s just say….that was the moment Jake knew he was in love.

“‘Cause we are living in a material world. And I am a material girl,” The next morning Y/n was rudely awoken by her ringtone. “Hello,” her groggy voice answered, hearing Jake on the opposite end sounding equally as tired.

“Are you busy this afternoon in between lessons?”

“Not that I know of. What’s up?”

“I just got off the phone with Collin,” his tone shifted to one she couldn’t decipher, “He’s asking if you and I would be interested in performing at the showcase.” Jolting from the bed, Y/n was fully awake.

“Come again.”

“You and me. Me and you,” Jake repeated, “we put on a little number for the finale.”

Fiddling with her pajama top, Y/n suddenly became nervous. The night before she was on Cloud 9 with the way Jake was looking at her. They danced the night away and those feelings she desperately tried to hide were slowly becoming difficult to keep down. “What did you have in mind?”

“Time of My Life, really?” The two were at the studio dressed in comfy attire they usually danced in. “Don’t you think that’s a little cliche.”

“I thought it was fitting,” the blonde rebutted. Jake suggested the two perform the iconic dance sequence at the end of the 80s classic. “What, you got something against it?”

She rolled her eyes, “Only that my parents blame my childhood obsession with it as the reason I didn’t follow their dreams for me.” Jake made a face.

“They’re still not over that?”

“Nope,” She popped the ‘p’. “In fact they still remind me every chance they get about it.”

Jake finished setting up the song loop, standing from his crouching position, “Well, let’s prove just how wrong they were when you blow their mind with your talent at the showcase.”

Between the giggles and constantly finding any moment to procrastinate, it was a miracle the two managed to choreograph a routine. It wasn’t an exact copy of the iconic dance Baby and Johnny performed, but they kept some elements in.

Including the lift.

“Jake, I don’t know about this,” Y/n shivered when her body hit the cold water, following him until their waists were submerged. The whole idea made her nervous. It was an intimidating maneuver.

Jake, however, did not show any sign of hesitation. “Worried I’d drop you?” he teased, “I thought you trusted me? We used to do this all the time as kids.”

“Exactly. I do trust you, but we’re not fifteen anymore. I’m not--,” he cut her off gently.

“Don’t say what I think you’re about to say,” his look was soft but serious at the same time. “You have nothing to worry about. And besides, we’re out here taking precautions instead of being in the studio where if something did go wrong, we’re not as likely to end up in the ER.”

Sighing, Y/n rubbed her eyes. “Fine, let’s just get this over with, before I drown in embarrassment..”

About two and half hours of non-stop repetition of Jake lifting Y/n in the air passed. Sometimes he purposely lost footing so they both planted into the freezing lake water and other times he genuinely faltered. “Jake!”

“I’m sorry!” Thankfully at least one out of every ten attempts were a success. By that we’re talking they were able to hold the position for more than four seconds. “Okay, we’re done for the day.”

As the sun started to set, Jake climbed onto the dock before pulling Y/n up. “Thanks,” she took the towel he handed her, immediately squeezing the excess water from her hair. “Well that was fun.”

“Yeah,” he chuckled, grabbing his towel. “I think we made some great progress. We’ll go through the whole routine tomorrow and see what needs adjustments.” The showcase was in just over a week, meaning they were crunching down on time.

“Sounds like a plan.” Stars painted the sky, the two eventually sitting on the dock with their towels wrapped around them. Soft music played from Jake’s speaker.

“How’s it been for you?” Jake was the one to break the silence, “thinking about it, we haven’t really got the chance to catch up. New York still treating you well?”

“Oh uh,” Y/n swallowed, unsure of how to answer without sounding too pessimistic. “It’s been alright. I’ve been teaching for the last two years.”

“A teacher you say? Where at?”

“Frank Sinatra School of Arts.” Jake’s smile grew.

“That’s amazing!” Butterflies erupted at his praise. “I’m happy for you, Y/n, really. You’re inspiring the next generation.”

“Thanks,” she looked away, unable to keep eye contact when her heart was beating so fast. ‘Geez, why am I like this? He’s making me feel like I’m fourteen again.’ “I’ve enjoyed it. My students were amazing.” Jake raised a curious brow.

“Are you not teaching anymore?”

Y/n bit her lip, “well, I haven’t renewed my contract for the upcoming school year yet,” she paused before adding, “I’m waiting to find out if I got a spot on this tour I auditioned for.” Now Jake was super curious. Lots of artists were touring that summer. The Jonas Brothers, Big Time Rush, Kesha, SZA, and of course the much anticipated Era’s and Renaissance tours of Taylor Swift and Beyonce.

And Jake was going to be involved in one.

“Is it okay if I ask which one?” his tone had an underlying hint of excitement at the thought the two might work together. Traveling across the country in what would be one of the best experiences in their lives.

Her eyes narrowed with suspicion, “something tells me you have a secret, Jake Seresin. Would you like to share with the class what’s on your mind?”

Scratching his head, Jake answered, “I’m not really supposed to say…..but,” she held her breath, releasing with a low gasp, “I’ll be touring with Taylor Swift.”

“Wow,” the woman was speechless, breaking into a massive grin. “I-uh, wow, Jake that’s incredible! Congratulations!”

“Thank you,” he accepted her hug, not caring that their clothes were still damp. “I honestly didn’t believe I’d get it.” a playful slap landed on his arm.

“Please,” came her scoff, “You really thought Miss Americana herself would not see the talent in front of her?” Y/n mentally cheered in victory at the sight of his blush. “She’d be foolish to not have you as part of her time.”

“Okay okay,” he swatted her hands away with a chuckle. “Now answer my question.”

Once revealing who’s tour Y/n auditioned for, the two embarked on an hour long conversation about their careers and life. Jake mentioned how he had been in a relationship but it didn’t work out. Y/n vented on the ongoing emotional feud with her family--to which Jake told her, “It’s their loss for not seeing you the way the rest of the world does.”

Yeah, that made her melt.

By the end of the night there was a shift in the atmosphere. Both felt it, glancing away when they held eye contact longer than usually without a word passing by. They had suddenly become quiet, only the crickets singing through the trees.

“It’s getting late,” Y/n rushed out, moving to stand. “Same time tomorrow?”

“Yeah,” Jake mirrored her movements. “Same time.” Heading back to the cabins their families were staying at, they arrived at Y/n’s first.

Opening her mouth to say goodnight and avoid an awkward moment, Y/n’s words paused upon seeing Jake’s expression, “You look troubled.”

“I--,” he began before stopping, causing Y/n’s nerves to rise. “It’s nothing.”

The dancer wasn’t having it, “No, no no,” she playfully raised a hand, “you can’t leave me hanging like that, Jake. I thought we were friends.” Suddenly it became quiet again. Next thing Y/n knew was Jake softly grabbing her hand.

“You know I adore you right?”

Her heart skipped, “Not really, but I do now,” the light chuckle was obviously embedded with nerves. “I adore you too.”

“And we’ve been….rather close for a long time.”

“Yes,” the word trailed off her tongue, somehow managing to hold the eye contact Jake was giving her. She was practically pinned where she stood.

“I realize this isn’t the best time or way to say this,” his cheeks become rosy, “but I’ve really enjoyed these past couple weeks catching up and being able to dance again like we used to. And I’d be lying if I said it didn’t bring back some feelings I tried to ignore for fear it would ruin what we have.”

Y/n couldn’t believe what was happening, “Bring back?” Did the man she secretly longed for since they were teenagers want her too? After all this time? She nearly pinched herself.

Jake looked away, bringing his other hand to scratch his neck. “Yeah. Look, I understand if you don’t feel the same and I’m sorry for dropping this on you but after the party I felt like my world was finally on its axis. You…” he struggles finding the right words, “I can’t stop thinking about you and what we could be. You’re my best friend, Y/n. And I view you as someone I wanna dance with till we’re old and gray.”

“Jake,” his name was the softest it had ever been coming out of her mouth. Here was the moment she had been dreaming about. “You have no idea how long I’ve been waiting to hear you say that.”

His reaction was immediate, “You--you feel the same?” The tone was that of disbelief and hope. Heart pounding beneath his skin.

Y/n cupped his face in her hands, grinning ear to ear, “There is no one else in this world I’d rather dance with than you, Jake. I’ve felt this way about you for as long as I can remember.”

Not wasting a second longer, Jake leaned down and captured her lips in a sweet kiss. Fireworks exploded between the two, the butterflies escaping their stomachs to swarm around them. Jake's lips were soft against hers, moving slowly as though to commit them to memory. When they pulled away, he kept his forehead against hers, “wow.”

She giggled, repeating, “wow.”

“Is this what Could 9 is supposed to feel like? Because I’m getting those vibes.”

Y/n threw her head back, laughing before covering her mouth when she remembered her family was asleep on the other side of the door, “You’re not the only one, hot shot. If this is what cloud 9 feels like then I never want to lose it.”

In the days following that magical night, the two continued their practice session. Perfecting the dance to where they didn’t even hear the music to be able to hit the steps right. When it came to the lift, however, Y/n was still worried of a disaster. Thankfully after several successful attempts at the studio she was able to let go of her doubt.

Plus she was tired of hearing Jake’s teasing.

Each night after parting ways that afternoon the two would meet up at the docks. Spending hours laying on the wood to watch the stars twinkle and talk about life. Then Jake would walk her back to the cabin, saying goodbye with a sweet kiss. With every minute they spent together, every dance, every kiss, both Jake and Y/n were falling more and more for each other.

One could go as far as to say it was love.

One could say they were having the time of their lives.

But of course what is life without a little drama? Y/n silently prayed drama would be avoided. Once in her life could things just be great? Without the everlying feeling of something going wrong?

Yeah, it was too good to be true.

“Jake!” a voice interrupted the peaceful morning, ripping the two apart from their kiss. They had gone for a jog together that morning around the lake, stopping at their usual spot of the docks before heading to the studio to practice for the night's event. Turning to the direction of the voice, Y/n’s eyes landed on a fiery redhead storming up the path. Her attention was on the man beside her, not hiding the obvious fact she was furious. “Who the hell is that?”

“Tatiana?” Jake’s tone was of shock and confusion. He let go of Y/n’s face he had been cradling, but kept a firm touch on her arm. “W-what are you--.”

“Is it so much to ask for you to answer your phone?” stopping in front of the two, her blazing hazel eyes locked on Y/n. “Who are you? And why the fuck were you making out with my boyfriend.”

“Excuse me?” she stammered, glacing at Jake who now looked pissed off. ‘He’s had a girlfriend this whole time?”

“I haven’t been your boyfriend since December, Tatiana,” he raised a pointed finger, casting a look to Y/n with pleading eyes that he was telling the truth. “We’ve been broken up for a while now.” he turned back to his ex, “You made that clear to me when you had me choose between the career I’ve spent decades building and you.”

There was anger in his tone, not pleased with her claims. Y/n didn’t know what to believe, all she could feel was a weight clamping down on her shoulder.

“Oh really,” removing her phone from her back pocket, Tatiana tapped the screen a few times before pushing it in Y/n’s face, “Does that seem like it to you.” Leaning forward, Y/n gulped at the sight of text messages indicating Jake and Tatianna had been in contact a few months prior. From the looks of it, Tatiana was hoping the two could pick up where they left off and Jake replying, ‘I’ll think about it,’ then it was silent until this past week where Tatiana sent texts asking when they could meet up. Jake, however, responded it wasn’t a good time and believed the two should stay friends.

“Y/n,” Jake started, glancing back between her and Tatiana, which only made her more perplexed. Unable to decipher what he was thinking. “Just please, wait right here.” He gently squeezed her arm, brushing their fingers together as he let go. Then before she could say anything, Y/n watched Jake gently escort Tatiana away from the docks. They went a good distance away to where Y/n was unable to hear the two. With Jake’s back to her, Y/n’s view was of the red head’s angry expression as she pushed her finger into Jake’s chest.

She saw him gently raise his hands, stepping away to escalate the situation. Y/n’s head spun, feeling a wave of nausea and the woman grabbed her water bottle from the ground. In a fast pace, Y/n stepped off the dock and onto the path leading back to the clubhouse. Once a distance away she broke out into a run, unaware if Jake saw her leave considering his back was to her. This was confirmed when she didn’t hear him call out for her.

Sprinting past the clubhouse, Y/n made a beeline for her cabin. Throwing the door open she moved past the living room not caring if anyone was there and straight to her bedroom where she locked the door behind her, pressing her back against it and sliding down to the floor to finally catch her breath.

Her water bottle had been drained, sweat coating her forehead and tears threatening to spill. Covering her mouth, Y/n refused to let the sob forming in her throat to release. There was no time to let her heartbreak. Not when the showcase was fast approaching.

The showcase.

“Fuck,” she sniffed, kicking off her shoes in the process. Of course it had to be that day all blows to hell. The perfect world she thought she finally obtained crashing down.

Of course she was being dramatic. Her life was shy from perfect, and this was another dent in the walls she tried to build.

She kept thinking of Jake. Willing herself to not jump to conclusions. He was clearly taken aback by Tatiana’s appearance. Even more when she called herself his girlfriend. Jake appeared rather offended by the accusation they were still together. Bottom line of the story: there was tension--especially animosity--between them, unfinished business if Y/n had to guess.

Whatever it was, she couldn’t bear to witness it. Right now she needs to think with a blank mind. And with Jake already spamming her phone, the solution for peace and quiet was to turn off her phone. Going as far as to power off her apple watch and not have music play while she showered.

The tears slowly cascaded while Y/n stood beneath the water. It was eerie with the silence, but it assisted with the clearing of her thoughts. Once clean Y/n dressed in comfy clothes and decided to nap for the remainder of the day. The morning had drained her, and until it came time to get ready for her dance with Jake--which she already dreaded--Y/n willed herself to sleep imagining what the day had been if his ex had never stepped foot on the docks.

“Need some help?” Y/n jumped, the hair clip falling from her hand. In the mirror she found Nat staring back at her with a sympathetic smile. “You look like you could use a hand.”

“Thanks,” she picked up the clip, holding up for Nat, who took it in her hand and stood behind Y/n. Gathering her hair up, Nat styled it in a messy but pretty updo.

“You seem tense for someone so used to the spotlight by now.”

A frown appeared, “It’s always nerve racking going on stage in front of people no matter how long you’ve done it.” Nat wasn’t buying it.

“Wanna talk about it? I know it’s more than a few nerves rustling your feathers, Y/n.”

Biting her lip, the dancer shrugged. “It wasn’t meant to be, Nat. Simple as that.” Sadness washed over her for the millionth time since that morning. She hasn’t seen Jake since, only replying to his several texts after a dozen unanswered calls to confirm she would still do the showcase.

Although part of her thought about backing out.

“What exactly happened?” Nat softly asked, moving to now help Y/n on her makeup. She was going for a simple look so she lightly concealed, blushed, highlighted and added some minimal eye makeup.

“Everything felt so amazing” she started, looking up as Nat dabbed the beauty blender under her eyes. “After we did the lift at the lake, we talked for hours on the dock and when he walked me back to the cabin….he told me how he felt about me,” Y/n could still feel the tingles on her lips, “and we kissed.”

Nat withheld squealing, knowing it was a bad moment considering it didn’t end the way she hoped for her best friend. Now she was conspiring on how to get payback on Jake. Filled with sudden disdain.

“The next few days went by--like I was walking on cloud 9. The way he looked at me, Nat,” Y/n connected their eyes, “It was magical.” Nat brushed powder onto her cheeks, followed by light blush and highlighter.

“And then what happened.”

Y/n’s shoulders dropped, making her slouch, “Jake’s ex showed up this morning.” Nat’s hand froze, a second passing before continuing its movement. “They broke up last year, but I guess they were in the works of getting back together. Because she was very vocal about it--not shy of asking who the fuck I was and why was I with her boyfriend.”

“And what was Jake’s reaction?”

Y/n waited until after Nat finished sweeping a thin coat of eyeliner to answer, “He denied it--was very shocked when she showed up out of the blue. Said that she ended things because he refused to choose her over his career. Then she went on about how they were talking things out--that a few months ago he said he’d think about it.” Y/n thought back to the texts, “She showed me the messages from this week. He rejected her invite to meet up and said that they should remain friends. Then he pulled her aside to talk where I couldn’t hear. I sorta left after that.”

Nat grabbed the mascara, “You didn’t wait for him to explain?”

“Could you blame me?” Y/n rebutted, a little on the defense but not saying it in a mean tone. “I was dealing with a hundred emotions. Confusion, embarrassment, shame, sadness, anger. I wanted to cry, I wanted to yell. But the only thing I could do was shut down and walk away.”

Nat said nothing, spraying Y/n’s face with a setting mist before handing her the tube of her favorite lipstick.

“I know,” Y/n groans, “I should’ve stayed--to at least hear him out. But I didn’t want to face the humiliation if it were true.”

“And if it’s not true?” Nat suggested, “What if he was genuine and they really are done? Where does that leave you two?”

Blotting the color onto her lips, Y/n capped the tube and threw it into her makeup bag with a shug, “I don’t know, Nat. We’ll find out tonight I guess.” Taking one last glance in the mirror, she added, “That’s if he shows up--which I doubt he won’t. He wouldn’t want to let Collins down.” leaning back in the char, Y/n turns to her friend. “Thanks for the hair and makeup.”

Nat patted her shoulder, “anytime. You look beautiful. That dress was made for you.” Y/n bore a light pink dress with a flowy skirt and corset styled top. It was similar to the one Baby wore in Dirty Dancing, ironically enough, but unique in its own way. She paired it with simple dance shoes.

“Thank you, Nat.”

A thought suddenly came to the brunette, “Hey, did you ever hear back from that audition?”

There was no hiding her grin, Y/n looked like a child having just received a gift from Santa, “I got a call back. They’re having me fly to L.A. next week to dance for them again.” Nat jumped from her seat, squealing and pulling the woman into a hug.

“Ah that’s amazing! Congratulations--I’m so so happy for you!!”

“Thank you,” Nat’s happiness was contagious, making Y/n giggle as they swayed side to side. “I can’t believe I’m so close.”

“I knew you’d get it,” Nat maveled, playfully pinching Y/n’s side making her swat at her hand.

The happy moment was interrupted right on cue as Mr. Collins rushed in. “There you are!” He was frantic, clipboard in hand. “I’ve been looking all over for you. Have you seen Mr. Seresin?” Y/n’s heart dropped.

“No,” was her response, heat coating her skin. “I thought he was here already.” Collins took a peek at his watch, groaning in annoyance.

“You guys are the last ones so that gives me hope he’s just running late,” Motioning for Y/n to follow him, the man leads the two out of the makeshift dressing room. “You’ll wait by the end of the side stage while the other performers have their turn. Then I’ll announce--hopefully both of you--and we’ll call this showcase a success. Which by the way,” he spins around, stopping Y/n in her tracks, “Do you happen to have a backup plan by any chance if our friend decides to be a no-show?”

Y/n stuttered lightly, hands up in a ‘Not really?’ She goes, “I mean I can whip something up--Not to toot my own horn but I’m pretty good at what I do and will dance to any music you give me.”

“Fantastic,” Collins snaps his finger, “We’ll work with that.” Spinning back again, Collins high tails it to the stage, Y/n taking claim to a chair a few paces from the steps. She spotted Nat seated with her family, Y/n’s own folks at a table in the far back. Almost like they were hiding from the rest of the guests, causing her heart to sink further.

Collins opened the showcase with an animated greeting to the audience. After some announcements and thanks to staff and sponsors who helped put the showcase together, he introduced the first of 10 performers on the list. Nearly all were the teens and children Y/n taught with Jake, the woman standing from her chair to cheer them on. At the eighth performance she froze at the sight of the blonde man behind the curtain. He hadn’t seen her yet, so Y/n ducked back to her chair, peeking slightly to find him conversing with Collins.

‘Well looks like I’m not getting out of this one,’ she thought to herself.

When the second to last performer appeared, Y/n found Nat in the audience. The two shared a look, Nat able to see the unease seeping off Y/n, and throwing her thumbs up in hopes to relieve some of it. The (y/h/c) shook her head slightly, but appreciated the gesture nonetheless with a small smile.

Mr. Collins glides to the stage one final time, “And now,” a quick glance to his clipboard, then to the side of the stage opposite of Y/n, a smile curling on his lips. “We have a very special presentation from two people who were kind enough to help me put this whole shabang together,” raising a hand out he announces, “Please welcome the beautiful and ever so talented, here to bring you the time of your life, Jake Seresin and Y/n L/n!!”

There was a light applause from the adults overshadowed by the children, teens, staff members, and Natasha. Y/n’s parents were unreactive, glancing at her siblings wondering if they knew to which they received shrugs.

Still sitting in a chair just off the stage, not moving despite the lights flashing on her, Y/n’s head was down. The door was not far. She could easily make an escape. But she felt eyes on from those within view and felt trapped. To run now would be a lifetime of embarrassment and shame.

“C’mon, Y/n,” she scolded under her breath. “It’s just one dance.” "Then you can go back to New York and pray this whole thing never happened.”

As the thought left her mind, footsteps came toward her, and Y/n glanced up to find Jake, dressed in black slacks and buttoned down enough to make a girl weak in the knees, staring down at her with an expression that took her breath away. It was as though they were the only two in the room, much like in the studio. Everyone else simply disappeared. Leaving two people who danced around feelings for years only to come together at that very moment.

Whatever hostility Y/n had for Jake was gone. She saw the pure love in his eyes. Pleading with her to give him a chance.

Simply holding his hand out to her, Jake held her gaze and spoke clearly for everyone to hear, “Nobody puts Y/n in a corner.” Had her heart not been beating at 100 miles per second, Y/n would’ve laughed at the reference. Considering how fitting it was to their situation.

The beginning lyrics of the song echoed as Jake led her to the middle of the stage. Already igniting applause from the audience who recognized it. “Now I’ve had the time of my life.” An arm snaked around her waist, pulling her to him. Never once straying eye contact “No, I’ve never felt this way before.” Y/n dipped back, Jake keeping her from falling to the floor until she was upright, “Yes I swear, It’s the truth. And I owe it all to you.”

“‘Cause I’ve,” Jake came around to her left, Y/n bringing up a hand which his own followed the trail of her arm. She caressed the side of his face. His group of friends hooting and hollering, “had the time of my life. And I owe it all to you.” A gentle kiss was placed on her nose.

Cheers from their students erupted when Jake spun Y/n, bringing a smile to both their faces as they began their routine. “I’ve been waiting for so long. Now I’ve finally found someone to stand by me.” Natasha whistled from her seat, “Yeah!”

“We saw the writing on the wall. As we felt this magical fantasy.”

All through the dance Y/n never once stopped grinning. Jake’s aura, the nostalgia of the song, and the love she had for dance were contagious. “Now with passion in our eyes, there’s no way we could disguise it secretly.” Unbeknownst to the woman, her parents and siblings were watching in awe. Having been the first time they truly watched her perform. “So we take each other’s hands,” Jake spun her again, Y/n throwing her arms in the air, head swaying back and forth. “‘Cause we seem to understand the urgency.”

“Just remember,” the pace picked up. “You’re the one thing. I can’t get enough of. So I’ll tell you something,” Y/n was lifted, dress flowing as Jake twirled them in circles. The audience applauded with glee.

“I’ve had the time of my life. No, I never felt this way before.” The cheers heightened when the two pressed against each other, the sight very intimate. “Yes, I swear, it’s the truth. And I owe it all to you.” Jake snuck a kiss to her cheek, moving away to leap off the stage. “Hey, baby!” Y/n tilted her head back in laughter, fingers on the hem of her dress skirt and swaying to the beat.

“With my body and soul, I want you more than you’ll ever know. So we’ll just let it go, don’t be afraid to lose control, no.” It was Jake’s moment to shine. He fed off the energy of the crowd, winking at his boys in the back hyping him up. Y/n caught Natasha’s thumbs up, the two sharing a silent victory. “Yes I know what’s on your mind. When you say, ‘Stay with me tonight’.”

“Stay with me. Just remember,” Jake danced up and down the aisle, “You’re the one thing. I can’t get enough of. So I’ll tell you something,” locking eyes, they gave each other a nod. “This could be love,” staff helped Y/n off the stage, the woman bolting toward Jake, “because--.” Squeezing every muscle in her body, Y/n exhaled in relief as she was successfully lifted in the air.

“I’ve had the time of my life. No, I’ve never felt this way before.” It was a spectacular scene around them with everyone jumping from their seats, in awe of what they were witnessing. “Yes, I swear (yes I swear), it’s the truth. And I owe it all to you.”

Y/n giggled the whole way down, arms sliding over Jake’s shoulder who shared her happiness. “‘Cause I’ve had the time of my life. And I’ve searched through every open door,” Several people joined in the celebration. Spouses dancing together, children off beat but having the time of their life like the song called for. “‘Til I found the truth. And I owe it all to you.” Even Y/n’s parents managed to get on their feet.

Finally seeing their daughter for who she was.

“Are you okay?” he asked her, the first words spoken between the two. It made her heart skip, filled with an overwhelming surge of happiness.

“I feel like I’m on cloud 9,” the response had Jake chuckle, pulling her closer to him as he voiced, “me too, doll.”

They kept their gaze on one another, swaying chest to chest, the tune became softer, “Now I’ve had the time of my life. No I never felt this way before (never felt this way),” Jake’s hand caressed her cheek, Y/n leaning into it. “Yes, I swear, It’s the truth (It’s the truth),” the two leaned in at the same time, Bill Medley’s voice belting the final lyric of the bridge, “And I owe it all to you!”

The kiss set off a million fireworks. Just like it did the first time. They didn’t know if the cheers around them were intended for the two, but they didn’t stop the kiss to find out. Y/n’s hand covering Jake’s on her face, brushing her fingers over his knuckles, “I’ve had the time of my life. No, I never felt this way before (never felt this way). Yes, I swear, it’s the truth (it’s the truth). And I owe it all to you.” Pulling away, Jake’s touch remained.

“Be my dance partner,” were his words, pushing through the ending chorus. ‘Be mine,’ “Forever.”

“‘Cause I’ve had the time of my life. And I’ve searched through every open door.”

Y/n brushed her lips against his. Uttering nothing more than a simple, “Yes.”

“‘Til I found the truth. And I owe it all to you…”

…………..

TGM tag list: @avaleineandafryingpan @caitsymichelle13 @poppyalice2001 @cutelittlepotatofry @luckyladycreator2 @americaarse @elenavampire21 @back-tooo-black @wildellaa @artemissunn @pinkpantheris @kmc1989

[ghostoffuturespast]

Works In Progress 2023: A Cyberpunk 2077 Year In Review

I thought for a hot minute about doing one of those snazzy templates that’s been going around, but editing photos just ain’t my MO and rather than going by month I picked 12 favs that I’ve posted in 2023. Some of them were popular, some of them weren't. Overall, I think I did pretty good for just doing vanilla photomode on console.

You might be wondering why there's a picture of a sticky note. I don't remember when I started doing this, and I'm horribly inconsistent as you can see by the dates, but I'll jot down my word count for my wip chapter and then jot it down again when I remember to later.

I write slow. A lot of times I sit down to write and it feels like the wheels are spinning in place. My minutes and hours don't stretch very far, typically don't add up to much. But days, weeks, months. That's when I can at least measure the progress.

Fic: So It Goes 40/44 - 438,946 words

My V x River Ward and tinfoil hat conspiracy theory long fic. I've spent way more hours on this then I have on any of my VP.

I got tagged by @just-a-cybercroissant @therealnightcity and @wanderingaldecaldo to do some WIP Whenevers. I post my VP pretty regularly, so it’s always seemed silly to do work in progress posts for them, and I don’t know when I’ll have any new writing to share since in between work and the holidays, I haven’t had much time to sit down with anything since my last chapter update. And I've been feeling very... stingy, lately. Especially when it comes to mine and other people's writing. So take this WIP/Year In Review as my offering. Both these series, as am I, are all very much still works in progress. 

I confined my reflections for this year below the cut. If you don’t want to read my long-ass essays, you can admire the pictures, maybe check out my fic, or just move along and have yourself a lovely day.

We’ll start with the easy one.

VP

After at least a year of multiple playthroughs (I’ve played all the lifepaths, done all the endings), it only occurred to me at the beginning of this year to start taking VP. Part of the reason I never did before was because I didn’t realize it was a thing and then by the time I did, I figured I didn’t have much to offer. I play on PS5 and only have access to vanilla photomode, so seeing everyone else’s high-fidelity, ultra ray-tracing, modded, posed, full on virtual photo shoot photos, I was like there’s no way. (Not that I’m hating on PC modders, it’s just not everyone has access to mods or a PC capable of running the game, and I’m all for making art and creative endeavors accessible.) On top of that, all I’d ever heard from most other folks was how much vanilla photomode sucked. In the glamorous world of VP, I didn’t think there was any room for me.

But I started snapping pics anyway. And sure, there are a lot of limitations with vanilla photomode. But what that really translates to is opportunities to get creative. I am also a hoe for subverting people’s expectations, and very much believe when there’s a will, there’s a way.

Environmental and landscape shots were my first subjects before I started branching out into portraits and then capturing story moments. Through VP I found an entirely new way to enjoy a game that I’d already played a ridiculous number of times along with also finally being brave enough to share my V with other people too. I’d always worried about that before, if people would like her. Granted, I know Grandpa’s not everyone’s cup of tea, but whether you like her or not, I certainly think she’s made a name for herself over the past few months. Even if most people haven’t really gotten to know her the way I’d hoped. 

I’ve taken hundreds of photos this past year. Most of which I’ll never share. There’s a lot of flops, a lot of weird experiments, ones that didn’t quite turn out the way I’d hoped, but I’ve learned something from every single one of them. I know how to spot good lighting, frame shots to create optical illusions, get a very limited toolkit to work in my favor, parkoured on all of the things, and heck, I even figured out how to make Grandpa smooch other NPCs. I’ve done atmospheric, mundane, down right goofy, as well as things that most people probably thought weren’t fucking possible.

I can’t say how long I’ll keep doing this, I’m sure I’ll move on at some point, but for now I’m still enjoying myself. There's a lot to explore in this game and I just can’t stop digging Night City.

Now, for the more complicated thing.

Writing

So It Goes… My peace, my war, my greedy and most ravenous of ghosts.

I’m operating under the assumption that most people following me here probably haven't read my fic or aren’t all that interested in reading it to begin with. It’s fine. But you need to understand this fic, my writing, is the main thing that brought me here. This is also Grandpa V’s story. Most of you have met her, but unless you've been reading, most of you do not know her.

I wrote around 185,000 words and posted 10 chapters this year. 2022 was about 253,000 words and 30 chapters, along with several unrelated one shots. However, I don’t think I’ve done a single chapter this year that was less then 10k, and my longest managed to hit 27k. As of the last update I posted, the fic is currently sitting at around 439k words, 40 chapters, and still isn’t done.

I have four more chapters to write. I have written a metric shit ton of words. This is, by far, the longest and most intense creative project I’ve ever endeavored to complete.

When I started writing, I was expecting this fic to be around 100-150k. That seemed to be the average for most long fics. I did not plan on being an outlier. I'm not sure you can ever really plan for that, but I guess I enjoy subverting my own expectations too.

For those of you who are reading my fic, it is my sincerest hope that it shatters every expectation of where you think it’s going. It’s not a joke that I tagged my fic “#an ode to my tinfoil hat”. An ode it has turned out to be. I’ve been sitting on this theory for two years. I have told no one about it. I hope it sticks the landing and hits the way I want it to. I don't know if it will. But fuck, I just want to be done with it so I can move on with my life, take a break, and give myself the opportunity to make and focus on other things before I have to get back on the damn horse.

I wrote less this past year then I did in 2022. I had a lot of life changes, most of which were good, but with times of change come times of adjustment. Along with some realizations that maybe you don’t understand as much as you thought you did. Looking back, I’ve been in a state of unsettled, kuzushi, for a really long time. Which is not a good place to be. It’s how your ass ends up on the ground with a knee knocking out all your teeth. I thought I knew better. Thought I had enough practice to get away from it. But bad habits have good memories.

I think given the circumstances, I accomplished a lot with my writing this year. I don’t know if my writing is exactly where I want it to be. I doubt it every will be, but it’s evolved, grown, and I wrote a pretty hefty stack of words considering I started working full-time again, bought a house with my partner, moved, and have been dealing with the millions of other beans that life tends to throw one’s way. That being said, and for full disclosure, I’ve also been dealing with some of the worst cases of jealousy and envy I’ve had since I was a teenager. 

Frankly, it sucks. They walk with me every fucking where I go, hold my hands to whisper back all my doubts. Try to persuade me to my baser instincts, to be cruel and lash out. But that's not aikido. Luckily, I’m not 16 anymore so it’s at least been easier for me to identify the problem. Though I’m still coming up short in terms of actually being able to do anything about it, and will be for at least a few months more. 

Yeah, I keep talking about it because I don’t know how many people know that I've been feeling this way. And I’m tired of not talking about it in a room full of creatives, because yeah, I know I’m not the only one that feels this way. And not talking about it just makes all that pent up resentment worse for everyone.

Don’t get me wrong, I love writing. But with the way I work and think, it’s a slow, tedious, and incredibly time-consuming art. With how much my fic has snowballed over the course of writing, it’s left very little room for the other hobbies in my life. And as my fellow writers probably already know, writing is an incredibly insular craft. And unlike a picture or an image, which only requires a glance, reading a bunch of words requires time and commitment.

So, when you put yourself out there and share what you wrote, it’s a lonely feeling not knowing whether or not anyone connected with what you put on the page. Especially, when the people who do read aren’t compelled to voice anything and when the people you’d hope would read don’t. And then you're stuck in the dark, not knowing, because neither of us says a goddamn thing.

I started writing this fic prior to actually joining the CP2077 fandom. And I joined the fandom because I felt alone. I’ve been here a while now, albeit in a few different places, and that feeling still hasn’t gone away. I’m still trying to find camaraderie with my fellow writers and carve out something that kinda sort of resembles a home or a sense of community. I watch my peers around me as they seem to build that with each other, except me.

I’m envious of the things that people make and jealous of the relationships those have created and fostered between said people, because for the life of me, it’s been a struggle to cultivate that since I got here. I know it’s selfish, but I also don’t know what about me makes people so hesitant. There have been a handful of strangers that have shown up for me regularly, but as far as people I call friends in this fandom that have shown up and actually stuck around, I can only name one right now. (I know we're all busy. And I acknowledge my writing's not for everyone. I know maybe some of you are quiet, or shy, or probably a thousand other things. I get it. But that doesn't mean it doesn't hurt any less. People will never know unless you say. Never know unless you take the time to interact or engage. Be brave. And that's true for a lot of things.)

The propensity is for the negative to outweigh the positive. I've got a lot of numbers on my fic, so you would think things would be fine, but at this point they just feel empty. They don't bring me any comfort or real satisfaction. And I hate feeling like the people I know don’t care and that most of you are just talking around me. That I’m some kind of annoyance not fit to interact with. Which may or may not be the case. I don’t know. Again, most of you have never said anything. And maybe I need to accept the fact that most of you never will.

But this is me trying to start conversation.

It’s really shitty, knowing that the thing I want the most is also the thing holding me back. I know how to work on it too, not that it’s any guarantee. The problem is I’m still writing and in a needy state of greed. And because I’m slow, I don’t have the time or the energy to be generous. I can only take right now. I can’t give. 

Relationships require both.

I can’t bring myself to read other people’s writing. I can’t comment, or like, or share if I haven’t read anything. I'm desperate for conversation, but I also don't have the time or assurance to facilitate it with other people right now. And for some reason people never seem to want to talk to me, especially when it comes to writing. I want to be part of conversations, talk deeply with other people. But I can’t speak right now, I'm not in a place to offer generosity without someone first giving it to me.

And generosity and grace is what we all need.

Four more chapters and I hope my ghosts will finally let me read in peace.

[hesperusblogging]

Assigning you a room based on your favourite Yuli NPC (1/?)

Carris

Well you are certainly are a rare and snazzy fellow. Perhaps his miasma of normalcy is what draws you in? You'd settle for stability wouldn't you?

Well things to note, the rooms nice and tidy, the books are lined up based on your preferred methods and your dinners in the microwave. We all know you work hard which is why you declined to go out tonight.

You'll watch a film or maybe read a book and then go to sleep, wake up and do it all again tomorrow.

The sheets are soft, the bed is warm, you try to blink back drowsiness as long as you can because your staving off tomorrow.

This room smells like wax seals and baked sunflower seeds.

Emeria

Your lawyer called, they say you've inherited the old place. That doesn't change the fact that this place will never truly belong to you again.

God this place is ugly. You, no they picked out the colours with you. You hate them for this because now it'll never be painted over.

No matter how much you try to close the door the hinges are faulty, it's interior permanently visible from the hall.

You tell yourself it'll just turn into a storage room but every day you bring in seeds growing in plastic cups to line the windowsill. There isn't much light but they still grow.

This room smells like damp dirt and moth balls.

Maris

Ah how cute! A small and quaint space to help you relax, its just as you've always dreamed!

Fresh out of college, your friends are helping you move in today! You laugh at how her hair is growing like wildfire she laughs and points out the curtains from your teen bedroom.

It feels good. You're a real adult now, and they both are real adults now too. She says she's moving across the country. And she says shes starting a family. You say you're still waiting on your degree in the mail.

When you sit here years later you feel the urge to call a disconnected number. It's been raining a lot, you sit on that couch and hope it passes.

This room smells like your homemade cookies and the nail polish you swore you threw away.

Cydia

Erm well it definitely could be worse you argue. Okay well this place was the best you could manage at the time is more accurate.

You wanted to start over. It followed you here.

What happened to you? Weren't you a prodigy? Was the world not your oyster? The stories they should have written of you, the ribbons of legends lay at your feet alongside your heart. Maybe they were right, you'll never make it on your own.

You don't care anymore. Nothing really matters more than getting out of this self inflicted hell hole. Once you're out things will go back the way they were.

This room smells like mold and coffee.

Btw this is not endorsing her in anyway! She's literally evil and we should not be romanticizing EVIL doing. Now go sit in your rot room and think about your actions!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Anyways that's all for now folks! Links to the PC room assignments are linked down below!

1 / 2

[lastenline]

Spider-folk that I hope will be in Beyond the Spiderverse (some spoilers):

Rep Rak- a demon from Limbo that came to idolize Spider-Man and, due to a deal with an alchemist demon and a symbiote became a giant musclebound Spiderman look-alike with uncanny valley teeth. He gets all of Spidey’s usual quips wrong but is a genuine hero.

Bullet Points Spider-Man- In a What If scenario where Dr. Erskine was assassinated along with one of his bodyguards, Ben Parker. Some time later Bruce Banner was in the process of testing a new gamma bomb when a punk teen wanders onto the test site. Banner tries to get the kid to safety only for the kid to push Banner inside a nearby emergency bunker. Banner was saved but the kid, Peter Parker, was transformed into the Incredible Hulk. Banner began experimenting with radiation to cure the boy who saved his life only to be bitten by a radioactive spider and you know what happens from there. They could get Mark Ruffalo to voice him and everything. Also I think the red eye covers and the black and white costume is snazzy.

Nightcrawler Spiderman: Due to some recent story beats Nightcrawler has taken up superheroing in a Spider-Man costume. I’d think it would be fun to have him BAMFing around in the new movie.

90’s Spider-Man: I’m hoping he shows up. Bonus points if they make it so that the audience never sees him land a punch or kick like in the cartoon.

Japanese Spider-Man: The Emissary of Hell. A fusion of Marvel and Super Sentai. Killer OP. Owns a giant fighting robot. ‘Nuff said.

[theofficersacademy]

November is here, which means the winter holidays are just around the corner... along with the 2023 Winter Edition of TOA's Arena! We hope you enjoyed the return of the Advice Box, and continue to look forward to what's to come!

Additionally, we've a few announcements of note, so please read on.

Housekeeping

Current Month in TOA: Garland Moon

The Black Eagles mission board - Fracture - begins this month and runs through the end of December. Check out the new tasks here, but don't forget that your muse must pair up with a Black Eagles student or affiliated faculty for the mission tasks!

Signups for this month's Arena will open on the 9th and will close at 11:59PM EST on the 16th. The Arena will begin at noon on the 17th, which will give everyone a day and a half to be acquainted with their teams, their classes, and their inventories. This time there will be 3 rounds instead of 5, and each participant will be assigned a Master class that they must work within for the duration of the event (for example, a Gremory will only be able to use up to A rank in Faith and A rank in Reason, but will be limited to C rank and any corresponding classes during the first round). Classes and teams will be announced after signups closed, and all members will have until noon the following day to lock in their inventories.

If you haven't seen it already, check out TOA's snazzy new blog makeover! We think it's quite sleek. We've also updated our Newcomer's Guide with new information about xKit Rewritten.

Additionally, all prizes from Sabbam Vitatham have been added to the Combat Manual.

Mentor signups are open again! Please sign up [link] if you’re interested in helping a newcomer get acclimated to the group.

Please don’t forget to leave feedback on our [feedback poll] for this month!

Important Reminders (Read ALL of them)

FEEDBACK POLL: we appreciate folks feeling comfortable enough to share their concerns with us, anonymously or not! However, we must note that there have been instances where we've received information that is too vague to do much of anything with. It alerts us that there is maybe an issue to be addressed somewhere, but does not give us enough information to consider exactly in which way we might begin to do so. Please keep this in mind when submitting feedback! If a problem is serious, go directly to a mod. Additionally, stop requesting PRF weapons for your character if they don't have them in their base game. Heroes is non-canon outside of its OCs, and the primary focus in TOA should be narrative, not how cool or statistically strong your muse is.

BOUNDARIES: We've received some concerns about boundaries not being respected. It can be easy to dismiss someone asking for certain jokes to stop as playing along or joking themselves, especially in a group as big as ours. Remember that even if people are friendly, it does not necessarily mean you are aware of their limits. If someone asks for conversation or jokes related to their muses to stop, oblige them. Conversely, if you are the one asking for others to stop making certain references pertaining to your muses, or so on, you should be specific and firm in order to ensure your request is taken seriously. The same applies to establishing boundaries according to your comfort with thread content. If something makes you uncomfortable, tell your partner directly. Come to the mods if behavior doesn't change.

RESPECT: Similar to the above point, be respectful when you talk about other characters, especially if someone is writing them in TOA. Remember: every character is someone's favorite, so don't go trash-talking them outside of private DMs. The caveat to this, however, are villains. If you choose to write a villain or some other antagonistic character, be prepared for both muns and muses to hate your character. That is the point of their role in the story.

DROPPED MUSES: Dropped muses are no longer part of TOA, so replies to these muses will not count toward your monthly activity. Don't reply to threads from dropped muses.

SUBMITTING APPLICATIONS: When submitting an application, submit the whole application. This includes the whole character info section. The mod team does not like having to hunt this information down on your blog. Also make sure that your stats page is linked. If submitting a google doc, submit it as a clickable link so that the mods can open it on mobile. The application has been updated with a reminder.

CANON COMPLIANCE: Last but not least, a reminder that muses in TOA should remain canon-compliant and avoid venturing too far into Original Character territory. Per TOA rules, "[your muses's time in Fódlan] should not change their canon plotline much, which ensures that castmates from the same game always have a static reference point for their muses." This also means not changing fundamental aspects of who your character is in canon, including but not limited to changing species, changing identities, changing canon lore and how said lore works, and granting them special powers otherwise unavailable to them outside of TOA's rank chart.

Other

November Mun Birthdays: Bren (6th), Envy (14th), Margo (14th), Byun (14th), Viper (16th), Aster (27th)

November Muse Birthdays: Ethlyn (5th), Linhardt (7th), Arval (12th), Henry (13th), Ivy (17th), Lianna (17th), Naesala (20th), Raven (22nd), Marianne (23rd), Camilla (30th), Arvis (30th)

Third-year mun anniversaries this month: Rai (21st)

Fourth-year mun anniversaries this month: Tsu (7th), Erica (10th)

First-year muse anniversaries this month: Scáthach (19th), Caeda (27th), Ephidel (28th)

Second-year muse anniversaries this month: Leif (13th)

Fourth-year muse anniversaries this month: Celica (2nd)

Muses who have been in the group for a solid year will also be granted an Academy Brooch to put in their inventory. It doesn’t do anything. It just lets others know your character has been around the block. These characters are also granted a new opportunity to change houses if they wish to do so.

- The House Leaders

[ladycharles]

Noella - track 5 on Manic Pixie Dream World bts writeup (sorry this really isn't Snazzy content but I know some of you find it interesting)

I wrote this around the same time as Manic Pixie Dream Boy, early in the pandemic. Just doing some improv on the piano until my right hand settled on the guitar melody and the left on the chords. At the time Stef and I were working on a little web series about a wannabe influencer and his mysterious artiste girlfriend Noella.

The song was going to be a cringy rap song he wrote for her in the first episode with constant references to youtubers.

The song really slapped though and after workshopping it a little with friends and I think some folks in the of Montreal discord I extended it out to be longer than two minutes and built it up with additional percussion.

In the end I decided to keep it as a love song to Noella, but it's also a fictionalized love song for Stef.

This is where the pandemic becomes relevant. Stripped of most of the web series context it really is a song about locking down with someone you love and fearing that they'll get sick of you.

I hope you are enjoying the new album, it's so dreamy to see so many vibing with it 💖💖💖

[always-andromeda]

hey Meda! Hope all is well :) was wondering how you made your collage on your pinned post? It’s so cool! also, how are you able to do spacing in your bio? It won’t let me on mobile maybe I have to do it on desktop

Hey, hi, hello!! Thank you so much; I think it looks pretty snazzy too. I’ve been super inspired by the layouts of some other writers so I did some playing around with PicsArt and Phonto. Using this tutorial, I’ve started making my own little dividers as well. And, yes, doing the line breaks in your bio requires a bit of simple coding on desktop. I learned that from this tutorial.

Overall, I’ve just been observing the visuals that I’ve seen other folks use, gathering what I like about each, and emulating those qualities with the apps I use!! I know some folks use Canva to make visuals but I’ve used PicsArt since I was a little teenager so I tend to use that basically all the time.

[buubuu-sedai]

Eye of the World Prologue - Dragonmount

Welcome and salutations various beings! I broke out this bad boy for the re-read and I feel all the warm fuzzies right now. I definitely have at least 3 different version of Eye of the World, 4 if you count the ebook, heh. A lot of my early books are pretty worn out from reading so this special edition is a really smart purchase. Also the cover design activates my brain in a really pleasing way so it's got that going for it. Oh! It's got a cloth bookmark, too. Pretty snazzy.

Ok so let's go over how I'm intending this to go. I'll post a chapter recap at the top with my impressions and keep all the spoilery rambling and musings at the bottom. I really thought about doing 2 separate posts - one spoiler free and one full spoiler - but I ultimately decided against. It is a re-read after all so I'm expecting most readers to be familiar with the full series. If there's enough interest maybe I can make a separate blog specifically to be spoiler free. But for now, here we are.

I'll post maps and images with notations to go along so we can follow along where the characters are.

Let's get into it, shall we?

Ok so we don't know where the Prologue actually starts, but we know for sure where it ends. Lews left a handy marker for us.

Prologue: Dragonmount

The prologue begins inside a palace that had been a recent sight of battle. A man named Lews Therin Telamon wanders the ruined halls looking for his wife Ilyena, stepping over bodies - including one of a sun-haired woman whose face is frozen in disbelief. Lews catches sight of himself in a mirror and laughs, calling for his wife to come see. Another man appears behind him from a ripple in the air - Elan Morin Tedronai. 

Elan knows Lews but it’s clear Lews has some memory loss and Elan asks if the ‘taint already has you so far in its grip?’ Lews remembers fractured things, like not saying Shai’tan and that Elan is known as ‘The Betrayer of Hope’, but he keeps losing his train of thought. He calls for Ilyena once more to come offer their guest welcome. Elan grows tired of this and uses Shai’tan’s healing to Heal Lews Therin’s mind. The pain of it sends Lews toppling over while he writhes in agony. When he can finally move again he sees his wife’s body and screams once more. 

Elan calls him Kinslayer and tells him the Dark Lord can bring her back if Lews will serve him. Lews thinks Elan must have slain his wife, but Elan demands he remember and taunts him. And Lews does remember, howling once more as he looks around, recalling hazily his trek through the palace, murdering everyone in it including his wife, children, friends, family and servants. Unable to handle this knowledge, Lews reaches out to the True Source, tainted Saidin, and Travels far away. 

In an empty field next to a river he still can’t escape the eyes of the dead. He calls out for forgiveness and pulls on True Source until the power of it consumes him in one searing beam of lightning from the heavens. The earth erupts, spewing magma into the sky and rising up a mountain in its place. The force bends the river, creating an island and when the land settles Elan appears on the island, contemptuously declaring “You cannot escape so easily, Dragon. It is not done between us. It will not be done until the end of time.” There’s a couple of blurbs that follow this prologue, written as if from a scholar looking at past events in flowery language. Both excerpts are from ‘Author unknown, Fourth Age’

Don’t worry for any new folks reading this - You’re not supposed to understand or know what’s happening here! The full understanding comes in later books but by the end of Eye of the World you will know the context of the events and what they mean to the story in general. 

I love this prologue so much!! Young me was fascinated by it. It’s so cryptic and bonkers, like who even are these people?! All the terms thrown willy-nilly like RJ is like ‘don’t worry about it, it’ll make sense later’.  In modern writing this would probably be such a no-no. You can’t introduce things without context clues, that will turn away new readers! Hahaha that’s what keeps me reading, baby! It feels very epic and mysterious.



Spoilery Bits Below - BEWARE

This got really rambly but I kinda enjoy it that way. What follows is my real time musings all mashed together into a loosely organized list.

I love all the tantalizing bits we get about the Age of Legends. Lews having worn the ring of the Tamyrlin and once summoned the Nine Rods of Dominion. I wonder if that ring was what the current Aes Sedai serpent ring was based on? The nine rods are usually associated with the oath rod, however the Big White Book talks about how the AoL handled criminals by binding them from repeat offenses. One of the forsaken at some point in the story says the current Age Aes Sedai ‘bind themselves like criminals’ in regards to the Three Oaths they take. Aaaand we also know oath rods can be used for obedience - that’s what Therava did to Galina later on. So the Nine Rods are pretty unknown. Perhaps something to do with interdimensional travel or something along those lines. It sounds cool anway.

Fitting how the story begins with Ishy telling the Dragon they’ve fought this battle a thousand times a thousand. One of my favorite quotes is “I win again, Lews Therin” (I like to say in a Waluigi voice and imitate his mannerisms. Omg I’m so weird)

We have Elan using The True Power here without the notable black specks floating across his eyes. I’ve always felt like the first 3 books follow a looser set of rules for magic, where in book 4 there are clearer sets of rules that hold the world together. Also it comes off more mystical with the grandiose speeches we get, the use of the True Source is more fantastical (Moiraine spinning her staff, the illusion of her growing and stepping over a wall, her wall of fire, Rand slamming the ground and disrupting the Shadowspawn army) Later on it feels more practical, but maybe that’s more because we get the perspectives of those using saidar/saidin so it seems less mysterious. 

This prologue establishes right away that you can hold too much power and it will destroy you - albeit very dramatically in this case. Also another indicator that Lews could handle a ridiculous amount of power if his overdraw is enough to create an entire fucking mountain.  Interesting that lews didn't like being called Dragon. I wonder if he disliked being the reincarnation of such a polarizing figure, someone who could just as easily destroy the world as save it. Lews did both essentially.

 Did the AoL have prophecies about the Dragon Reborn as well? We know they used portal stones and tel'aran'rhiod liberally. Reading the pattern was the specialty of the Aelfinn and the Eelfin and we know there were treaties in place to get that knowledge from them. No one even suspected a being like the Dark One existed so perhaps Dragon was just a name Lews felt uncomfortable with. Afterall, his peaceful society was forever shattered and he became a machine for war. The name Dragon must have felt really bitter for him.

Ishy was a philosopher before defecting. Which honestly makes so much sense. I can imagine he was already questioning the purpose of existence and then here comes the Dark One whispering in his ear telling him all about the endless cycle that will only end when the Dark One wins. 

Ty for reading if you’ve made it this far! Feel free to share thoughts, ponderings and your own reminiscing.

The AoL Aes Sedai had foretellings (at least those at the end of the AoL) - they knew where to leave things for the Dragon to find at the Eye, Rhuidean and the Stone of Tear. Was that a consequence of opening the bore? I don’t recall if the forsaken think or talk about foretellings in their time during any of their perspective chapters. Drilling a hole through reality could have some funky effects, though. Would be really neat if that bore allowed the pattern to be read similar to what the twisty red doorway boys do.

Oh boy I didn’t expect I would have so much to ponder just from the prologue, holy moly. This is some of my favorite stuff, however, thinking about what could have been in the Age of Legends. Robert Jordan made such a cool expansive world, it’s really a joy to read every time. I am happy to be back in this world once more.

[sannakartau]

FOURTY-FOUR SUNSETS

Suddenly it's 2024. I have been working on textile on my bed beneath sunrays especially visible with incense smoke in the air. But for some reason, aging came to my mind, leaving me with a serious inkling to write *somewhere* unserious for a change.

Is aging serious? Is it a serious experience to gather more years on one's back? Or are the assumptions surrounding aging the serious question?

This afternoon I reached out to a guy I dated a few years back. I'd seen him amongst my recommended friends' list on Facebook a few times, but today his profile picture was different. It now featured a bow tie, a very snazzy way of setting one's hair and a general millionaire superhero energy that I found interesting (read: arousing). If we're friends in real life, you probably know that my taste in men leans more towards bookish socialists than swole military men, but since I'd actually spent some juicy time together with him, I found it easier to appreciate his bougie ways.

So obviously, less than two years after dumping and blocking him, I unblocked him and sent him a text asking how he was. Girl's giddy! She's curious! She's willing! Yes, some months have passed, but now that your profile actually says 'Single', I can take a gander, can't I?

The only reason this act was possible is that I now have over 12 years of adulthood under my belt, including a good number of folks whose inboxes are assumedly open for a surprise visit by me. That's my take on aging at the moment: passing years are magnificent memory real estate filled with interesting moments, people, mistakes and a lot of other invaluable stuff. Each year (month, day...) has allowed me to open new spaces and deepen existing ones. I am flabbergasted thinking about the fact that if everything goes well, I can continue being a free agent for many times over that time. Isn't that wild?

But aging is also scary. Some people are less likely to find me attractive the older I seem. Aging comes with (oft internalized) expectations. You know, even the fact that it's Tuesday afternoon and I've been eating chips and playing with fabric, string and safety pins, trusting myself that some good will come from play, even that doesn't seem age-appropriate. It comes with a bitter dose of guilt and sadness.

By articulating it, I counter it. What else would I need or want to articulate?

I do hope I am able to keep wonder, joy and openness close to my heart as years go by. All I need to do is remember to read a certain book every once in a while.

[safethaw]

What's In A Name? Chloride Vs. Potassium.

Ever have one of those moments where two words seem interchangeable, but the more you delve, the clearer their differences become? Enter the realm of Chloride and Potassium. Flip the script and you have - potassium chloride. Yep, it's a bit of a tongue twister. But stick with me, we're about to unravel this. Let's Break it Down: The Individual Stars First things first. Chloride? Think of it as that cool friend always hanging around sodium, making our food taste just right. Now, potassium? It's the unsung hero keeping our hearts ticking and muscles doing their thing. So, when these two join forces, you'd think they'd be the dream team, right? Well, the reality is a tad more complicated. The Catch with Chloride Potassium Okay, picture Chloride Potassium as that celebrity duo everyone's talking about. Seems perfect from the outside, but there's some juicy stuff underneath. Sure, it's got its benefits, especially for folks keeping an eye on their salt. But - and this is a big 'but' - it's not all sunshine and rainbows. Too much potassium chloride? You might be in for an unexpected stomach serenade. Push that boundary, and the stakes rise - think heart-related concerns. Plus, for those gardening enthusiasts, potassium chloride as a fertilizer isn't always Mother Earth's best friend. And if you've ever hoped chloride potassium would save your driveway from icy doom? Well, let's just say there's a better hero in town. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x2uACuEGD4k Step Aside, Here Comes Safe Thaw! Imagine a cold morning, an icy driveway and potassium chloride just not doing its job. Enter Safe Thaw, swaggering in like it owns the place. - Green at Heart: With Safe Thaw, there are no dodgy chemicals or chloride in sight. It’s Mother Nature’s sidekick, keeping the balance just right. - Gentle yet Mighty: Those in the industrial realm, listen up! Safe Thaw's got your back. No corrosion, no electrical mishaps. It’s the peace of mind in a can. - Consistency is Key: A sprinkle today, a sprinkle tomorrow - Safe Thaw's formula means you're set for the season. Slipping on ice? That's so last year. - The Secret Sauce: What gives Safe Thaw the edge? That snazzy crystalline amide core, paired with glycol and some traction agents. It’s like Ice sees it and thinks, "I’m outta here!" In Closing: Every Choice Tells a Story Chloride, Potassium, and their combo act as potassium chloride - they’re not just terms or ingredients. They're decisions we make. While potassium chloride has its moments under the sun, it's crucial to know its shady spots too. So, as the cold winds start to howl and ice becomes your unwanted guest, remember you've got choices. Choosing Safe Thaw isn’t just about getting the job done; it’s a nod to our planet too. And honestly, that feels pretty darn good. Read the full article

[apricusnights]

Olympus Tournament: Round Three, Batch One.

"Hello everyone! My name is Amias Zelly, and I'll be our host for the first part of round three! Before we get started though I have a few things to go over."

"Round three will be contested in a two vs two format. The teams were not randomized. Competitors could pick their partners. Those who didn't wish to pick were put in a pool and paired with someone else in the pool."

"Round three is also sponsored by Bundles of Lavender! Who might I say do whatever work, just check out this snazzy new suit I'm wearing. Don't take my word for it though, take a look!"

A rather impressive commercial for Bundles of Lavender plays.

"All of this rounds contestants were offered new gear designed for them by Bundles of Lavender. Some accepted, some of course did not but not everyone has good taste."

"Now, with that taken care of, we'll move right on to the action!"

Match One:

Johnny C. Lakely & Typhon

Vs.

Iris Adler & Arvinda Tuck

"Bit of a rough pull for Iris and Arvinda here but that just happens sometimes. The two work well together and put up more of a fight than I think some were giving them credit for but Iris isn't that experience of a fighter and Arvinda had to make up for it."

"They seemed to have Typhon on the ropes a few times as Johnny was content to let his partner have fun. However when push came to shove and Johnny told Typhon to get serious it was all but over. The overwhelming power of Johnny and Typhon was too much. Iris was sacrificed herself and was tossed from the arena to give Arvinda a chance but Arvinda only managed to inflict minimal damage and was soon knocked out by Johnny."

Winners: Johnny C. Lakely & Typhon

Match Two:

Lily White & Gouki

Vs.

Zeus & Janus

"Sometimes I get the feeling these Paradise Entertainment folks don't really want to be here. Zeus spent a good deal of the fight bickering with Janus and trying to avoid his opponents. Janus being the skilled fighter he is did well enough on his own but his irritation was growing."

"Gouki seemed to be a lot more focused in this fight and fought even more viciously than we'd seen before. Doing most of the work by herself. Lily though proved she was more than capable and even though she came out worse for wear on a few occasions managed to keep Janus on the ropes."

"Janus eventually lost it and threw Zeus into Gouki who slammed him into the ground and kicked him out of bounds. Janus fought against both opponents but after a series of team attacks Lily and Gouki managed to knocked the other masked man out of the arena."

Winners: Lily White & Gouki

Match Three:

Kara & Evander Lykaios

Vs.

Boone Bailey & Ivory Reynard

"This one started fast and furious with Kara and Boone rushing in and getting right to the point while Evander and Ivory provided cover fire for their respective partners. Not too mention trying to pick each other off from across the arena."

"Ivory's shots destroyed most of Evander's cover which forced him to rapidly move from place to place but he steadily got closer to Ivory. Kara and Boone fought across the arena, Boone being on the receiving end of some nasty strikes but his ability threw Kara off and allowed some great counterattacks."

"In the end Evander was able to pull Ivory from her position and force her to fight close range. She had the strength to spare but Evander's experience made all the difference. He was able to wrap her up with her chains and knock her out. It was only a matter of time after that when Boone fell victim to a two on one and was punched out of bounds by Kara."

Winners: Kara & Evander Lykaios

"Some exciting action to kick things off right? I hope you enjoyed batch one, make sure you tune in tomorrow for batch two! If you're ever in Apricus, make sure you stop by the Evergreen Theater to catch yours truly, and a tremendous cast. You're sure to love it!"

"I'd like to thank Bundles of Lavender for sponsoring all of round three. You're going to see more fantastic ensembles as the round progresses. Have a good night everyone!"

[harrison-abbott]

Dwarfed Hand

Beth’s newish boyfriend invited her over to his folk’s place to meet with his father. Beth had been with her boyfriend, Mickey, for five months, and really liked him and she hoped that he liked her as well. He seemed to. And the invitation to meet the parents was one of those next steps, right?

It wasn’t parent(s), plural, per se. Mickey’s Dad lived with this other woman, not Mickey’s mother. But Mickey didn’t call her a stepmother.

His father lived in this plush part of town. When they got to the flat, Beth somehow knew she could never afford such a place as this. [Apparently the Dad ‘worked in Insurance’, Mickey had said; though he didn’t expand from there.]

After Mickey rang the doorbell, this man who looked nothing like Mickey appeared. He had a huge beard, whereas Mickey was blonde babyface.

“Hello there,” the bearded father said. He shook hands with Mickey and the son walked in ahead of Beth. He turned to Beth and offered a hand and said, “I’m Connor.” He shook hands with Beth as if she were a man – the force of the shake and the discrepancy with her dwarfed female hand.

There was a strong smell of prawns when she got into the house, closing the door behind her.

Inside the kitchen was a woman not too older than Beth, wearing a maroon dress, and Beth could see much of the skin of her legs. She was cooking stir fry at the snazzy cooker. “Oh, Hi there you must be Beth,” she said and there were three big smacking kisses on her cheeks. “I hope you’re in to Chinese food?” Beth said yes.

All four of them sat down at the table. Connor rubbed his beard, the bristles of which were mostly grey. Mickey fidgeted next to Beth. They’d been in the flat for maybe twelve minutes and he hadn’t looked at or spoken to her for any of those.

“So, Beth,” Connor said, “you’re still a student?”

She said that yes, she was. She studied psychology and was in her fourth year. Which university? He asked. She told him. What did she hope to do after graduation? She said she wanted to go into applied psychology, maybe. What degree was she sitting on – a First? She answered she hoped to get a 2:1. He asked her whether she had experience in clinics or hospitals? She didn’t, directly; but if she got her degree she was considering a Masters degree. What made her want to do applied psychology in the first place? Beth liked helping people.

“Hmm,” Conner said. He rubbed his bristles. And drank some more of his red wine. Neither Mickey or Connor’s partner had spoken yet. “So what about your hobbies, then, Beth?”

Oh, she said, she did like painting. It was a silly little hobby and she didn’t think she was that good. What kind of painting? She did watercolours. Well, she tried. Haha. Why watercolours? Ah – she used to use oils when she was a kid but she thought the finer textures of watercolours suited her style more. What was her style? Well she didn’t know she had one but her works were mostly pencil and watercolour – of landscapes. What kind of landscapes? She liked to paint bridges and river scenes in general, rivers running through cities.

“I’ve always loved the Danube. Have you ever been there, Connor?”

“Been where?”

“To the Danube.”

“The Danube runs through ten countries, honey. You’ll have to tell me which one.”

Everybody laughed. Except Beth, who blushed, and responded,

“Well I’ve been to Budapest and Bratislava and they were both fab.”

“Ah, yes. Have been all across Europe. In all of those ten countries, actually. Can you name them all?”

She guessed about half of them.

“Mickey and I were thinking about going to Vienna, actually,” Beth tried, turning to her boyfriend. “Weren’t we? In the summer.”

“Ehh,” Mickey muttered, “could do.”

There followed a gap in the dialogue where Beth was aware of how loudly everybody else was eating, the food squelching in their jaws. And then Connor intervened,

“I’d like to open another bottle of wine if that’s fine with everybody else?”

Beth had eaten the least of her plate, of all of them; they were nearly all finished whereas she had half of her plate still to go.

She was never invited back to meet up with Mickey’s Dad. And never met the mother, either. And Beth and Mickey never went to Austria, even though he’d been keen on it a few weeks earlier. And Mickey broke up with Beth via Facebook – ten days after the dinner scene described above.

[kaisecloud]

Hey there, folks! So, I snagged this cool gig at an animation studio in Italy. To get back in the groove, I decided to build a model from the ground up. Hope it tickles your fancy! The model's pretty much there, but, gotta admit, there are some nitty-gritty bits I'm not 100% thrilled with. Originally, I had grand plans for epic backgrounds, snazzy weapons, and killer animations, but with the trial period kickin' in, I'll tinker with it in my free time (if I'm not knee-deep in a new project). The end game? Get it all set for 3D printing.

You can find more posts on my twitter (I refuse to call it X)

[urmomsstuntdouble]

brother of mine

aka an itabros character study (?) there are characters and they’ve been studied, idk what else to tell you. this has been in my head for a long while, though i got a lil experimental with how i wrote it. anyway, this is a bit important to me and i know there’s like a lot of really good takes about their relationship already out ther, but here’s mine! i hope you enjoy it!

(pov romano, written in present tense 2nd person, in case that’s a turn off for you. all of the emotional baggage you’d expect.)

6:09- Wake up, still tired. Nothing you can do about that, but you stay in bed a little longer, listening. Is your brother awake yet? Do you want him to be? It’s already noisy outside. 

6:13- Get out of bed after spending four minutes staring at that photograph of your fiance and you that’s taped to the wall. You wonder if you should frame it, but he hasn’t gotten you a ring yet, so you don’t know if he’s serious, or he’s also in love with you. And if you were to frame it, you’d have to take the tape off, and that would render your likeness without a face. Would that be so bad? And you don’t want to think about that, so you push the blanket off. Because you sleep naked, you get cold fast without the blanket. At first, you try to sink deeper into the bed, but that dosn’t work. There’s no goosebumps on your back. So you get up and put clothes on. 

6:15- You walk into the bathroom, pleased that the time is such an even number. A perfect quarter of an hour. But then you see your brother, standing at the mirror, straightening his wavy hair. You sigh, and ask him how long he’s gonna be in the bathroom. You need to straighten your hair too, and you can’t use the toilet with him standing there. Maybe you could’ve at one point, or on a better day, but today isn’t one of those days. 

6:39- You finish straightening your hair. Your brother is still in the bathroom, even though he doesn’t need to be. He’s crosslegged on the toilet, and you’re paying closer attention to your hair than his rambling, but you still know when to nod and fake-laugh. 

6:52- You don’t pay attention to traffic on the way to work, despite driving. It was your turn to drive, but you’re not in the mood to drive. But you can’t ask your brother to drive, because then he’ll worry about you, and you’ll have to tell him why you’re fine. He’ll never believe you. He says he wants to help you a lot, but he never does, at least not in the way you need. Maybe he doesn’t understand you, or maybe you’re just stupid to him. Can he see you, really? Is he even trying? Maybe you are stupid, or maybe you can’t be helped. You almost hit a woman and her daughter, and you scream out the window that they need to walk faster. You don’t believe yourself, and your brother can tell. You growl. Maybe that’ll change his mind. 

7:28- You arrive at the Parliament building. Your brother gets out of the car first, almost while it’s still moving. Don’t want to be late! he chirps, but the pair of you can’t be late. You can’t give the nation avatars their morning briefing if they’re not there. And you’re not even supposed to be there until eight, anyway. You say nothing of this and call him a dumbass. 

7:37- You’re walking slowly through the halls. You have 23 minutes, and you are alone. Some coffee would be nice. You don’t trust yourself to get coffee and get back in 23 minutes, so you don’t. 

8:00- You walk into the briefing room. Your brother is already there. He gives you a little wave when you walk in. Heat flashes through you, and you feel like you could rip a cork out of a bottle with your bare hands. There is no way to test that, because there are no bottles in this room. You sit beside him, in the chair unofficially designated as yours, and begin the briefing. 

9:00- Another meeting. A headache nips at your temples, and you tell yourself it’s not because you didn’t get coffee. It is. In the meeding, someone mentions your separatists, and you straighten your tie. You also shrink back into your seat. They blame you, or maybe think you have answers. You don’t. You are glad your tattoo is covered. 

10:00- You have nothing to do for now, so you read the news. Your brother is doing paperwork. You should be doing paperwork. If you didn’t share an office, you wouldn’t feel so bad about not doing the paperwork. The sound of his pen on paper grates at you. You can hear his progress as the ball-point gets scratchier. You keep scrolling down the news app on your government phone. 

11:00- You start your own paperwork after the third time your brother harrasses you about it. Hundreds of Lovino Vargas’s make your wrist hurt, but he looks smug about finishing first. 

12:54- You get a chunk of your work done. Your brother’s fucked off somewhere without telling you. You leave the office, leave the building, and find a wall to lean against. You smoke, watching your people. If they’re yours? Things are fuzzier in Rome. You wish they weren’t. No one else is so weak in their capital, and it’s only okay because Veneziano is weak here too. A girl smiles at you, and you blow her a kiss. Her blush is cute, but you can’t enjoy it because you’re engaged. 

13:12- Your brother finds you. He wants to get lunch. You say fine, unenthused. You get lunch from a street market. When the vendor hands your food across the counter, your fingers brush. The look in his eyes changes, and he gapes. He knows who you are. You wink at him, and he stands a little straighter. Your brother knows what’s happened too, and beams at him. He pays in a stack of coins. The vendor chuckles, and stares at your brother in awe. They shake hands while you hold your brother’s lunch. You need to get back to work, so you take your food without shaking the vendor’s hand. 

14:00- It’s another hour passed. Your pen sounds different when you sign your name, but the victory feels hollow. You’re slow. 

15:00- It’s warm. Too warm. You’re heavy, and you want to take a nap. You’re sweating again, and miss the ocean. You can’t remember the last time you saw your fiance. You should make arrangements to see him again. 

16:00- It’s still warm. You’ve sweated through your dress shirt. Maybe you should take your blazer off. But then people will know you’re sweating. And your brother isn’t sweating. You keep the blazer on, and wipe your forehead with a tissue. With the tissue still in your hand, you excuse yourself to the bathroom. You wipe under your arms with toilet paper, and stare at yourself in the mirror. You’re behind, and you sort of miss the times when you didn’t have paperwork. It was better for your wrists, but worse for everything else. Even so, you could lean back on your fiance’s chest whenever you pleased. He had a soft spot for you. Everyone else’s soft spot is for your brother. You wonder if your fiance is the only person who will ever have such a soft spot for you. You splash your face with cold water and pat it dry. Your eyes looked better when they were lined with sweat. 

17:00- It gets loud outside. You continue working. 

18:00- It’s still loud. You’re still working. Your brother takes a break, smoking by the window. There’s sweat under his arms. A secratary walks in to deliver more papers. She likes his suspenders, and he thanks her. He blows her a kiss. You know, the whole point of smoking by the window is to keep the smoke from getting into the room. The secratary leaves. You ruined it. 

19:00- Your brother drives you home. It’s his turn. He pays attention to traffic. You pick at your nails, and wrestle some words down. Your head throbs, and you need a smoke. Or some coffee. 

20:11- You’re home. It smells like you, and you can breathe. It also smells like your brother. Maybe you smell the same. 

20:47- Dinner. You sit down, punctuated by an opening door. You brother’s boyfriend walks in, and he makes him a plate. You shake your head, and push food around on your plate while they talk about trade deals. You wish he wasn’t here. Or maybe you wish you were somehwere else. Maybe you wish you were on the beach, or maybe you miss your fiance. Actually, you always miss him, but most of the time you’ve forgotten. Watching them talk about the trade hurts anyway. It’s not even trade between the two of them. You figure it out and realize that you wish you were human. If you were human you never would’ve met your brother. You’d never have left Sicilia- Or maybe you’d be married to your fiance by now. Whatever. You wouldn’t know either of the men on the other side of the table, and it would be a better life. 

21:03- You brother’s boyfriend is gone. You’re screaming, and so is your brother. You’re both armed with wine glasses, and you feel yours slipping in your hand. You don’t want to drop it, because he’ll help you clean it. You can see it now- The glass falls and shatters, and you fall with it to pick up the pieces. Your brother’s hands meet yours as he does the same. You scream at him and someone bleeds while the other shouts into a pillow. You drink the rest of your wine. You try to talk so fast that you dribble wine down your shirt. Your throat feels tight and your voice pitches up, and now you sound like him. You tell him he’s stupid and obnoxious and he should’ve kept his half of the country. His eyes widen. Yours would too if someone was yelling at you in your own voice. You both ruin your shirts with tears, and Veneziano drops his wine glass. Good job, you say, and track footprints of wine out of the room. 

21:49- You need to go to sleep. You can hear your brother talking to his boyfriend on the phone. You wish it was light enough to see the picture of your fiance on the wall, and you don’t want to get out of bed to turn the light on. You know it’s there, and that helps, but you really wish you could see him. 

5:03- You didn’t sleep much last night. The quiet in the house hurts a little. You’re still in yesterday’s clothes. You wander downstairs. The floor is clean now, and the kitchen door is open. Your brother is outside. 

5:06- You’re not sorry and you let him know. He’s okay with it and you sort of wish he wasn’t but you’re glad he understadns. He makes you cry too much, but you also make him cry a lot. Maybe you shouldn’t live together. You don’t say that, because it might make him cry again. 

5:08- His head is on your shoulder. You can’t move. You think you’re supposed to put an arm around him and be comforting. Your hands were always too rough, too violent, too dirty. They never learned how to love gently. You wouldn’t know how to comfort. You were never supposed to learn what tenderness was. Last night, you wished you hadn’t. 

5:18- You hug him. He does most of the work. You bury your face in his shoulder pretending it’s someon else’s. 

5:19- He’s sorry. You don’t believe him. 

5:20- You say thank you. 

5:21- Niether of you talk. You might not be ready to talk yet. Is it okay, you ask him? He shrugs, because he’s not ready either. No one’s ever ready. 

5:24- You agree to try again today. You both know it won’t work. You try again. 

[staff]

Keeping…tabs...on your dashboard 😏

If you’re scrolling Tumblr on one of our mobile apps, you’ve probably already noticed these two snazzy chaps at the top of your dashboard. These are tabs, a ~revolutionary~ new way of organizing, now available right here on your dashboard.

“Following” is your classic dashboard experience packed with posts from all the blogs and tags you follow. “Stuff for you” is an ever-expanding personalized mess of fresh content organically sourced from all across Tumblr. Yes, this is it: the dreaded algorithm. This is where it dwells, in its own place, where you can choose to go—as, when, and if you please.

It’s the beginning of something quite beautiful, really.

Some things we’re still working on:

We want you to have more control over how you enjoy Tumblr, so we’ll be adding the option to toggle each tab on and off, and eventually, configure your own tabs.

Thanks to those of you who gave feedback on this while we were testing it out, we’re aware of some bugs with the swipe sensitivity. Those should be resolved in version 21.9 and above.

Some of you found the swipe gesture itself annoying, so we’re working on a setting that allows you to disable swiping entirely.

We’re currently fixing the home button and the logo so that they take you back to the top of a tab as is only right and proper.

Some of you mainly use Tumblr on the web. Hey, that’s cool. We hope to be bringing tabs to your Tumblr web experience soon.

If you have feedback about tabs, please get in touch—either with the good folks at support or the @wip humans on Mondays. And keep up with all tabs-related changes over on—you guessed it—@changes. Happy tabbing, Tumblr.

[mysteryman-17]

Snatcher ATK ? DEF ? * Oh don't make me laugh, kid! * You're DREAMING if you think I'd willingly reveal my stats to you!!

Time’s End is an AHIT/Undertale crossover AU of sorts, taking place in the aftermath of a timeline where you lose the final boss fight against Mustache Girl. You can find the write-up here! In addition, you can find the write-ups for the Neutral Endings and TimeWarp Route Requirements on Google Drive! The awesome Snatcher art in the thumbnail was made by @ivipl1. Be sure to check her out for more awesome artwork like it!

Snatcher takes on an expanded Napstablook role. With him unable to properly do anything to the plentiful Mafia freeloaders in Subcon (and being bitter to no end because of that fact,) when Snatcher finds Bow in his forest, he tries to make her sign a contract (and thus steal her soul) instead... only to once again be thwarted almost immediately by Cooking Cat and Goofy Mafia. When Bow next meets Snatcher later on, this time on her own, the purple ghost's new goal is to “make your lifeless body sign a contract for you," being his usual bastard self all the while.

That's right folks, it's finally time for the Ghost Fight of this AU! (And yes, you should 100% take this as a hint that I plan on updating the Spider Dance cuz omg it low-key sucks more and more ass as I keep listening to it.) Anyhow, Oh It's You and Your Contract Has Expired were a pain in the dick to properly line up in terms of pitch, but I'm incredibly happy with how this turned out. I fully embraced the swinginess inherent to Oh It's You and made this an outright jazzy track, including some totally snazzy improv on the piano and a couple high quality VSTs to help sell the vibe a wee bit more. Also it's not too audible in the section I used it in the background of, but instead of the "Your Name Please" sample that the original Ghost Fight uses, I actually wound up sampling two versions of Subcon Forest's ambience from AHIT's game files! On that note, I hope you guys enjoy! :)

You can also listen to this track in high quality on my SoundCloud here!